Kraken Gold Rush: Sticky Wild, multiplier wheel and RTP

Kraken Gold Rush is PG Soft catalogue ID 1929177, code kraken-gold. The English game document is version 1.0 r4, updated 29 September 2025. It describes a six-column, five-row cluster game with a two-cell Kraken Wild permanently positioned across the centre of reels three and four.

The reference build states 96.75% RTP, high volatility and a 5,000× maximum win. These figures do not confirm availability in New Zealand, NZD stakes, deployment at 22Bet or access to the optional feature purchase.

Verified specification

Field	PG Soft value	Evidence scope
Identity	1929177 · kraken-gold	Official catalogue
Rules document	1.0 r4 · 29 September 2025	English PDF
Grid	5 rows × 6 columns	Collapsing symbols
Win threshold	4+ matching symbols	Horizontal or vertical contact
Fixed Wild	row 3 across reels 3–4	Two spaces, one symbol
Overall RTP	96.75%	Supplier simulation
RTP split	67.48% main · 29.27% Free Spins	Reference profile
Hit rate	19.38% overall	Supplier simulation
Volatility	High	Session label
Free Spins wheel	5× through 100×	Fifteen steps
Maximum win	5,000× bet	Round-ending cap
Euro defaults	€0.20–€100	Not an NZ offer

PG Soft lists iOS, Android, HTML5, macOS and Windows and names the UK Gambling Commission in the PDF jurisdiction field. That is product-document scope, not evidence of New Zealand authorisation or a particular operator listing.

The cluster rule is unusual

Four or more matching symbols connected horizontally or vertically form a winning combination. The PDF then says symbols not involved in a win explode, allowing symbols above to fall and potentially enlarge or add winning combinations.

That order differs from the more familiar model in which winning symbols disappear. Do not rewrite it into a standard tumble rule. Capture the board before and after each round to verify which symbols remain and which are removed in the deployed build.

Payment is made when no additional or increased winning combination remains. This means the history may present the whole growth sequence before the final component is credited.

Wild Kraken position and counting

The Wild Kraken occupies the third row of reels three and four and remains throughout any spin. Although it covers two spaces, it represents one symbol for payout calculations. It substitutes for ordinary symbols but not Scatter.

This distinction matters in cluster counting. The graphic may touch several matching symbols across two cells, but it should not be counted as two independent Wild symbols unless live help explicitly changes the reference rule.

Draw the six-by-five grid and mark the Kraken as one object spanning the two central positions. That diagram makes it easier to compare the final cluster size with the paytable.

Main-game 5× condition

If a paid main-game spin produces three or more winning rounds, the total win for that spin is multiplied by 5× after no further winning combinations remain. The condition counts winning rounds, not the number of clusters shown on one board.

For example, two clusters paid on the initial arrangement still constitute one winning round. Additional board states must create the second and third winning rounds before the 5× rule is satisfied.

A support record should show the ordered round list and the raw accumulated amount before the final factor. Multiplying that subtotal by five should reproduce the credited component, subject to the overall cap.

Free Spins entry

Three Scatters anywhere award 10 Free Spins. Each additional Scatter adds two more. Thus four Scatters award 12 and five award 14 under the stated rule. Free Spins can also retrigger.

The multiplier wheel begins at 5× and contains 5×, 10×, 15×, 20×, 25×, 30×, 35×, 40×, 45×, 50×, 60×, 70×, 80×, 90× and 100×.

Every three winning rounds increase the wheel by one level. At the end of a free spin, after no winning combinations remain, the total for that free spin is multiplied by the factor displayed on the wheel.

Tracking the wheel correctly

The progression is step-based, not a direct jump to the largest visible number. Beginning at 5×, three winning rounds move the wheel to 10×. Another set of three advances it to 15×, subject to the exact counter behaviour shown in history.

Record the factor at the beginning and end of every free spin together with the number of winning rounds. Do not count several clusters on the same board as several rounds, and do not assume a non-winning spin advances the wheel.

The 100× label is the highest Free Spins multiplier, not the maximum game award. The total remains limited to 5,000× the bet.

Worked round example

Suppose a free spin begins at 5× and produces three successive winning board states. After the third winning round, the wheel advances one position to 10×. When the sequence ends, the documented rule applies the shown wheel factor to the total win of that free spin.

If the next free spin has no win, it creates no three-round progress. The wheel state may remain visible, but it does not generate value by itself.

This worked sequence explains evidence order and not likelihood. The actual history, rather than animation timing, should determine how the operator grouped winning rounds.

Maximum and simulation profile

The game stops when a main-game or Free Spins result reaches 5,000× the bet. A 100× multiplier can substantially change a component but cannot override that total maximum.

High volatility accompanies a 19.38% overall hit rate in PG Soft’s simulation: 18.88% for the main game and 0.50% for Free Spins. These figures are long-run outputs, not a countdown to a feature.

The listed Big, Mega and Super Mega frequencies are win-band statistics. They are neither jackpots nor evidence that a similar result is due after a loss.

Feature Buy and local availability

Version r4 documents a Feature Buy menu for purchasing Free Spins at the price displayed. The PDF does not prove that this control is offered in New Zealand or by a specific operator.

If available, record purchase cost, starting stake, awarded spins and live RTP before selecting it. The purchase does not guarantee a profitable result, a high wheel level or a particular number of Kraken-assisted clusters.

Set a cash limit before opening the menu. A completed purchase should be treated as one paid entertainment decision, not as a recovery tool after losses.

Mobile verification

The two-space Kraken must remain identifiable as a single symbol on a narrow screen. Check that the wheel, winning-round count, remaining spins and wager do not overlap the lower rows.

Switch apps during an extended cluster sequence and return. The fixed Wild position, wheel level and round history should reconcile. If the animation resumes differently, save the server record and balance change.

Colour is not sufficient by itself to communicate the wheel level. A pointer, label or other shape should make the active multiplier understandable. This is an important usability check on a small display.

What the sources do not establish

The official material does not prove NZ access, NZD currency, inclusion at 22Bet, promotional contribution or Feature Buy availability. The euro range is a reference configuration, not a local offer.

Verify title, numeric ID, code, r4 revision, live RTP and maximum in the account. A mismatch should be documented as a separate deployment rather than averaged into the official figure.

Version and correction triggers

Recheck if the PDF advances beyond r4, the Kraken changes position, removal order is rewritten, wheel steps change or the cap differs from 5,000×. A new ocean background alone is not evidence of changed mathematics.

Corrections should include a dated help capture, operator and territory. That separation protects readers from confusing supplier reference rules with account-specific controls.

Proving the removal order

Record three consecutive images: the qualifying cluster, the board immediately after the explosion and the final enlarged or additional combination. Highlight symbols that belonged to the first win and compare them with symbols that disappeared.

Under the r4 wording, non-winning symbols are removed while the winning structure remains available for the next board. If a live deployment instead removes the winning symbols, save its help page and version because that would be a material rules difference rather than a cosmetic animation choice.

The fixed Kraken should remain across its two central cells throughout the paid spin. If it vanishes between rounds, determine whether the screen is only transitioning before reporting a rules failure. History and the next settled board provide the stronger evidence.

Final assessment

Kraken Gold Rush is defined by two details that deserve careful reading: non-winning symbols are removed during its cluster sequence, and the two-cell Kraken counts as one symbol. Its multiplier wheel then rewards sequences of winning rounds rather than isolated cluster size.

Primary evidence is detailed for rules and reference mathematics. Territory, currency, operator access and optional purchase controls remain live checks.

Official and related sources

• PG Soft Kraken Gold Rush information PDF
• PG Soft official catalogue
• PG Soft catalogue guide
• Responsible gambling guide
• Corrections policy

How to verify the version you can actually open

A provider page proves that a title exists and describes the supplier's intended rules. It does not prove that a casino accepts players in New Zealand, that the title is enabled for a particular account, or that the highest published RTP is the version in the lobby. Treat availability, operator eligibility and product configuration as three separate checks.

Start with identity, then configuration

Open the game only through the authenticated casino lobby. The information or help panel should identify PG Soft, the exact title and the active mathematical return. Compare the reel or grid layout, paylines or cluster rules, named features and symbol behaviour with the official product material. Similar artwork or a matching title is not enough when the help file is missing or inconsistent.

When the supplier publishes several RTP values, report all of them as configurations. Do not assume the highest option is deployed. RTP is a theoretical long-run measure across a very large number of rounds; it is not a refund rate for one player and cannot predict the next result. Volatility is different: it describes how unevenly results are distributed on the provider's scale.

Read stake controls as money, not interface decoration

Provider sheets often quote a reference range in euros. That range does not establish New Zealand-dollar support or the limits in a specific account. Before a paid round, identify the total amount that will leave the balance. If the interface separates denomination, coins and lines, verify the combined total. If Extra Bet is active, calculate its full cost before pressing spin.

Feature-buy prices are multiples of the current bet, not promised returns. A 100x purchase at a $1 stake costs $100; at a $2 stake it costs $200. Availability can vary by market and some mathematical configurations may not support the control. If the live help does not explain the price, delivered feature and active RTP, leave the option unused.

Keep simulation figures in their proper scope

A game sheet may publish a maximum result observed in a large simulation. That is not automatically the contractual maximum payout and never describes a likely session. Preserve the provider's wording, sample size and configuration. Check the live rules for a binding cap and the operator terms for any separate payout limit. Do not turn an extreme result into a promotional headline.

Audit a disputed round

If an animation freezes or a connection drops, do not repeat the wager immediately. Reopen the game through the authenticated lobby and inspect round history. Record the time, total stake, balance movement and round identifier. The result can be settled by the gaming system even when the device never displays the final animation. Send evidence through verified operator support; never disclose a password, recovery phrase or one-time code.

Read the paytable as a calculation document

The paytable should explain what creates a win, which symbols substitute, where special symbols can land and how multiple awards combine. For line games, confirm direction and active paylines. For cluster games, confirm adjacency, minimum group size and the order of collection. For respins, identify what remains locked, what resets the counter and what ends the feature. A graphic effect can illustrate those rules but cannot replace them.

Separate addition from multiplication. Several prize values may be added before a multiplier applies, while reel-specific multipliers can sometimes multiply together only when each reel participates in the same win. Reconstruct one low-stake result from game history. If the arithmetic cannot be matched to the help file, stop and ask the operator rather than guessing.

Do not confuse hit frequency with a profitable round

Provider sheets can publish hit frequency or category probabilities. A hit simply means a round returned a qualifying amount; it can be smaller than the stake. “Big”, “Mega” or “Epic” thresholds are provider reporting categories, not promises. They are useful for comparing mathematical versions only when definitions and samples are the same.

Random outcomes do not become due after a long gap. A feature that appeared repeatedly in a demo or marketing clip has no obligation to repeat in a funded session. Previous rounds do not create a debt from the next random result.

Confirm market and device behaviour independently

A title can exist in the supplier catalogue while an operator disables it for a territory, currency, device or bonus. Language localisation is not evidence of legal availability. Confirm the operator's identity, accepted countries and current lobby separately from the provider review.

On mobile, verify that balance, total bet, feature state and help remain visible without overlap. On desktop, check that browser zoom does not hide a purchase control or change the apparent denomination. Mathematical configuration should not change merely because the screen changes; if the help shows another RTP, treat it as a different deployment and record it.

Keep a compact evidence record

For any fact used in a review, save the title, provider, official URL, document date when available, access date and exact territorial scope. For a live session, add the operator domain, Game ID, RTP, currency and a non-sensitive screenshot of the help panel. This makes later corrections possible when a supplier updates a sheet or an operator changes configuration.

Missing information should remain missing. Do not estimate an RTP from results, convert a euro reference range into an operator's NZD limit, or treat another casino's configuration as evidence. A transparent “not confirmed” is more useful than a precise-looking number without the correct source.

Use limits that survive the feature design

Collection meters, expanding grids, sticky symbols and near misses can make a session feel unfinished. Unless the rules explicitly preserve progress, the visible state has no value after the round or feature ends. Set a money limit and time limit before launch, count feature buys immediately, and stop at the limit even when a meter appears close to an upgrade.

No random game is an income plan. Do not borrow, use essential funds or raise the stake to recover a loss. If play stops feeling recreational, use timeout, deposit-limit or self-exclusion tools and consult the site's responsible gambling guide.